The memory of England´s greatest
sea battle after Drake´s defeat of the Spanish Armada is
kept fresh in all our minds by the continued existence of HMS
Victory, which is preserved in a dry dock at Portsmouth. Launched
in 1765, she was already an old ship by the time of Trafalgar,
which makes her survival to this day even more remarkable.
Walking her immaculate gun decks, shown in the picture below,
it is difficult to imagine now just how terrible the conditions
must have been for her crew, sweating over their belching guns,
with the decks slippery with the blood of their dead or wounded
comrades.

A 100-gun First Rate ship designed by Sir Thomas Slade, the Surveyor
of the Navy (1755-1771), according to the Establishment of 1745
as the only ship of its class and built in 1759-1765 at the Chatham
Dockyard for the Royal Navy.

Dimensions: 151'3"5/8 × 51'10" × 21'6".
Tonnage: 2162 22/94.

Armament as designed:

Lower deck:

30 × 42

pound guns

Middle deck:

28 × 24

pound guns

Upper deck:

30 × 12

pound guns

Quarter deck:

10 × 6

pound guns

Forecastle:

2 × 6

pound guns

Various examples of the type of
shot huried at enemy ships.

The Victory´s main guns were
12 pounders (top), 24 pounders (middle) or 32 pounders. The big
gun (left) was called a carronade, named The Smasher. Once the
powder hole had been filled, it was fired by a slow match or
flintlock. The cartridge and shot were laid by a rammer after
the worm" had removed cartridge fragments, and the
damp sponge had put out any sparks there might be in the barrel.

Career:

1758 December 13

Ordered to be built.

1759 July 23

The keel was laid at Chatham
Dockyard in the Old Single Dock from 1623.

1765 May 7

Launched by floating her out
of the dock. It was found that she had a permanent list to starboard
and 38 tons extra ballast on the port side was required to right
her. The cost for building was £ 63.176.

1769

Masted and rigged for conducting
seatrials.

1778 March 12

Commissioned.

Armament:

Lower deck:

30 × 32

pound guns

Middel deck:

28 × 24

pound guns

Upper deck:

30 × 12

pound guns

Quarter deck:

10 × 6

pound guns

Forecastle:

2 × 6

pound guns

1778 July 23

Took part in the Battle at Ushant
under Admiral Keppel against the French fleet.

1779 April

Maintenance and re-fitting after
a year at sea and.

Armament:

Lower deck:

30 × 42

pound guns

Middel deck:

28 × 24

pound guns

Upper deck:

30 × 12

pound guns

Quarter deck:

10 × 6

pound guns

Forecastle:

2 × 6

pound guns

1780 March

Maintenance and re-fitting after
a year at sea.

Armament:

Lower deck:

30 × 42

pound guns

Middel deck:

28 × 24

pound guns

Upper deck:

30 × 12

pound guns

Quarter deck:

10 × 6

pound guns

Poop deck:

6 × 18

pound carronades

Forecastle:

2 × 6

pound guns

2 × 24

pound carronades

1782 November - March

Paid off at Portsmouth and subject
to a Middling Repair.

Armament:

Lower deck:

30 × 42

pound guns

Middel deck:

28 × 24

pound guns

Upper deck:

30 × 12

pound guns

Quarter deck:

10 × 12

pound guns

Poop deck:

6 × 18

pound carronades

Forecastle:

2 × 12

pound guns

2 × 24

pound carronades

1783 March - 1787 November

Put in reserv at Portsmouth.

1787 December -- 1788 April

Large repair.

1789 April -- 1789

Put in reserv at Portsmouth.

1789 -- 1791 August

Channel service.

1797 February 14

Participated in the Battle of
St Vincent under Admiral John Jervis against the Spanish fleet.

1797 October

Paid off at Chatham and was
struck from the Navy List after having been found defective.

1797 December 8 -- 1799 January

Fitted as Hospital Ship at Chatham
Dockyard and served in the Medway.

1800 February -- 1803 April

Large reconstruction at Chatham,
involving among many things closing in of the stern galleries.
The cost for the Large Repair was £ 70.993.